Pine Script, the scripting language used on the TradingView platform, offers a range of functions and features that enable traders and analysts to create customized technical analysis tools and indicators. One such feature is the timeframe.isminutes
function. In this article, we will delve into the details of this function, exploring its use, syntax, and application in Pine Script programming.
What is timeframe.isminutes
?
Definition
The timeframe.isminutes
function in Pine Script is designed to check if the current chart’s timeframe is based on a minute interval. It returns a boolean value (true
or false
) indicating whether the chart’s timeframe is in minutes.
Syntax
The basic syntax of timeframe.isminutes
is straightforward:
isMinuteTimeframe = timeframe.isminutes
Here, isMinuteTimeframe
is a variable that will hold the boolean result returned by timeframe.isminutes
.
Example Usage
Scenario
Suppose we want to create a script that behaves differently when the chart is on a minute-based timeframe compared to other timeframes.
Code Example
//@version=5 indicator("Minute Timeframe Check", shorttitle="MTC", overlay=true) isMinuteTimeframe = timeframe.isminutes // Displaying a different message based on the timeframe plotMessage = isMinuteTimeframe ? "This is a minute-based timeframe." : "This is NOT a minute-based timeframe." label.new(bar_index, high, plotMessage, color=color.red)
Detailed Walkthrough
- Indicator Declaration:
indicator("Minute Timeframe Check", shorttitle="MTC", overlay=true)
sets up the script as an indicator with the name “Minute Timeframe Check” and a short title of “MTC”. Theoverlay=true
parameter allows the indicator to be plotted directly on the price chart. - Timeframe Check:
isMinuteTimeframe = timeframe.isminutes
assigns the result oftimeframe.isminutes
to the variableisMinuteTimeframe
. If the current timeframe is based on minutes,isMinuteTimeframe
will betrue
; otherwise, it will befalse
. - Conditional Message: The ternary operator
? :
is used to choose between two strings based on the value ofisMinuteTimeframe
. Iftrue
, it setsplotMessage
to “This is a minute-based timeframe.”; otherwise, it sets it to “This is NOT a minute-based timeframe.” - Label Creation:
label.new(bar_index, high, plotMessage, color=color.red)
creates a new label on the chart. The label’s position is determined bybar_index
andhigh
, and it displays theplotMessage
.
Key Features and Takeaways
- Function Useability:
timeframe.isminutes
is useful for scripts that need to behave differently based on the chart’s timeframe, especially for strategies and indicators specific to minute-based timeframes. - Syntax Simplicity: The syntax is straightforward, making it easy to integrate into various scripts.
- Conditional Logic Enhancement: This function is particularly effective when used in conjunction with conditional statements to customize script behavior.
In conclusion, timeframe.isminutes
in Pine Script is a simple yet powerful tool for scripts that require awareness of the chart’s timeframe, particularly when differentiating between minute-based and other timeframes. Its ease of use and the clear boolean output make it a handy function for both beginner and advanced Pine Script programmers.